Nine Guyanese businesswomen are among participants from 14 Caribbean territories participating in the first ever Women Innovators Network in the Caribbean Acceleration Programme (WINC AP), designed to provide accelerated support for women in business.
The women are Berlinda Duncan-Persaud of Cheereemee Marketing Agency; Christine DeCambra-Forrester of Everything Makes Craft; Savitri Doerga of Venus – The Beauty Planet; Judy Beykaran of the Pink Shop; Junette Stuart of Junshazynas World of Fashion and Interior Designing Enterprise; Leisa Gibson of Leisa Salon n Beauty Supplies; Peggy Chin of Gardenland Nursery and Gift Shop; Renata Chuck-A-Sang of Zhuor Enterprises and Vassilia Constantine of the Orchid Foundation/ Crisel’s Enterprise.
Over the past six months the women have been meeting to learn how to further grow their respective entrepreneurial ventures through networking, marketing, prudent financial management and utilizing technology to upgrade their respective enterprises. The experience has also allowed them to examine how their values and beliefs have impacted on their mindsets and on the welfare of their respective businesses.
The program is funded by InfoDev, a World Bank agency that provides global support for entrepreneurship. The work of InfoDev in Guyana is supported by a number of local entities including GeoTechVision, Scotiabank, Guyana and Island Style Café all of which have also provided a measure of sponsorship for the programme. The Ministry of Business, the Small Business Bureau and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) are also strong local supporters of the programme.
Stabroek Business understands that with just three months left of the programme the participants are enthused over the outcomes already realized and have already begun to implement those outcomes in their respective enterprises.
Chief Executive Officer of GeoTech Vision Valrie Grant told Stabroek Business that one of the positives to come out of the programme was the development of a support network that allows the participants to help each other in marketing, referrals, display space and sharing ideas. These women have become friends and they are now their own biggest cheerleaders.
Grant, who is the WINC Facilitator for Guyana, said the programme is customized to cater for the specific needs of the participants. The Jamaican-born entrepreneur said that working with the group had provided her with an enhanced understanding of the Guyanese culture and entrepreneurial landscape through their stories. “The sessions have not been about me lecturing to these women but about guiding the process. We were able to co-create and to share nuggets that will form part of the steps involved in building successful businesses,” Grant said.
The participants also benefited from a technical session on Financial Management facilitated by A Cecile Watson, regional specialist in crowdfunding.
